Vic Lin

US National Stage Application: The Basics For most international patent applicants, the US is one of the top national phase PCT countries to be considered.…

CIP or new patent application? When it comes to new subject matter that is related to a pending utility patent application, should you file a…

How long does a trademark registration take? Many variables can prolong the US trademark application process. Generally, the fastest path to a registration would be…

How long is the utility patent application process? The USPTO is notorious for its backlog of examining utility nonprovisional patent applications. First-time utility patent applicants…

What is the first-to-file patent system? US patent laws no longer recognize who was first to invent, but rather who applied first for a patent.…

What is a patent priority date? Priority date refers to the earliest filing date in a family of patent applications. Where only a single patent…

Reasons for Procuring US Design Patents Chinese design patent owners will already know the benefits of design patent protection in the US. Unlike US utility patents,…

What are negative claim limitations? A negative claim limitation is language recited in a patent claim that speaks to the absence of a feature, as…

How to Transfer Patent Ownership Patent ownership starts with the inventors. It is fairly straightforward, however, to transfer ownership to a company. Every patent application…

What is the initial filing cost of a US design patent application? Excluding USPTO fees, our initial filing cost of a US design patent application…

What is a freedom to operate or patent infringement search? A freedom to operate search or review is basically an analysis to see if you…

What is the European Patent Office? Getting a utility patent in Europe a bit different than patenting in other foreign countries. A single utility patent…